Her announcement was long-rumoured, but made official Monday morning at a farm south of Regina.

Prior to announcing, she had served as the province’s deputy minister to the premier, which is the province’s top civil servant job.

“The time is right for me to take this next step,” said Koch, who had a crowd of a few dozen people coming out to support her.

She has held the deputy minister job since May 2016, but will take an unpaid leave of absence while she looks to replace outgoing Premier Brad Wall.

Despite the supposedly non-partisan position of being the top-ranking public servant, Koch says she has been a Sask. Party member since it was formed in 1997 “and that’s not something that I ever hid.”

At least some Sask. Party MLAs are quietly suggesting it is inappropriate for her to be running, but Koch said she was in contact with “each and every caucus and cabinet minister prior to declaring my candidacy; they all encouraged me to run.”

Koch also said she has “a very good reputation’ and “not once would I have been political or partisan” in the role.

The longtime bureaucrat will likely pick up support in rural Saskatchewan, having formerly served as the executive director of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association and president of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance. She heavily played up her agricultural credentials on Monday, which include nearly a decade as deputy minister of agriculture.

But this leadership bid is not her first foray into politics: Koch worked her way up the political ladder during the Grant Devine government and was serving as assistant principal secretary to the premier when the government was defeated in 1991.

It was during those days that Koch’s alliance with Wall started to form. In the weeks leading up to her announcement there was talk that becoming premier was not an ambition of hers, but Koch’s leadership bid is one that will be welcomed by the allies she has in Wall’s office.

Indian Head-Milestone MLA Don McMorris, who remains a powerful figure within the party, is also a longtime ally of Koch’s. He was on hand, alongside Cannington MLA and Sask. Party founding member Dan D’Autremont, at the announcement.

Those relationships, coupled with her depth of experience, have many party insiders calling her an early front-runner.

Koch “absolutely believes” in what Wall has been doing and wants to “stay on the path that Brad Wall started.”

Koch said she will continue to oppose the carbon tax if chosen as Sask. Party leader.

In her role as top civil servant she sat at the cabinet table and to that end, Koch said she will continue the three-year back-to-balancing the budget plan put forward in March — even if that means having to defend controversial decisions resulting from that plan.

“I don’t intend to distance myself from what the government has done,” she said.

More concrete policies are expected to be firmed up before the race to replace Wall culminates Jan. 27th at the Sask. Party’s leadership convention in Saskatoon.

Koch was noncommittal about seeking an MLA seat regardless of how she does in the race.

“I’m going to see what is going to happen in my future,” she said, indicating she intends to see how her leadership bid plays out first.

She does have a connection to the soon-to-be vacant Kindersley seat — her husband is from the area.

Trost, Doherty out as Moe and others join leadership race

The Saskatchewan Party leadership race to decide the province’s next premier is beginning to shape up as more people rumoured to be interested are taking themselves out of contention.

Finance Minister Kevin Doherty also removed himself from contention by not taking a leave of absence by Monday, the deadline put in place by outgoing Premier Brad Wall.

It is expected six candidates will be formally declared by the end of the week.

There were early announcements made by former Social Services Minister/Regina-University MLA Tina Beaudry-Mellor and former Economy Minister/Meadow Lake MLA Jeremy Harrison, as well as Saskatoon-Northwest/former Attorney General Gord Wyant, who announced his candidacy late last week.

And on Monday, former Parks Minister/Saskatoon Willowgrove MLA Ken Cheveldayoff and top civil servant Alanna Koch announced their intentions to run.

Scott Moe took a leave from his job as the province’s environment minister with the expectation that he will announce a leadership bid later this week.

Doherty’s decision not to run came as a surprise to many: Last week, there was a fair degree of certainty from party members that he would seek the leadership.

On the other hand, Moe’s now-likely entry into the race was fairly unexpected.

Support for Moe did not really pick up momentum until Jim Reiter, the province’s Health Minister, ruled himself out of the race last Thursday.

Reiter was perceived by many party insiders as a front-runner, and suggest Moe saw a path to victory after Reiter stepped out of the race, as would-be Reiter supporters searched for a home.

The expected entry of Moe will add another layer to what is already shaping up to be a hotly contested leadership race.

Moe, in his role as the environment minister, has been one of the main voices behind the Sask. Party’s popular opposition to the federal government’s plan to impose a carbon tax on the province.

As a rural MLA, Moe already held a certain level of rural credibility, but his well-versed opposition to the carbon tax will likely help him steer some votes from the agricultural sector in his direction.

Koch’s team — who are expected to play up her breadth of agricultural experiences — will surely be keeping note of that.

Politically, Moe will also look to steal away some votes likely directed towards the more liberal Wyant.

What is not clear is how much of an effect Moe’s past will have on his leadership ambitions. He lost his licence for drunk driving in 1992 and, despite that being 25 years ago, some party insiders are already raising that as a red flag.

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